Chemical container loading goes wrong when drums move. A load that is palletised, tightly closed, braced against the doors and lashed to the container's fixing points stays put for the whole journey. A load that is not will shift, rub, dent and leak.
Packing standards for containers are set out in the CTU Code, produced by the UN agencies responsible for shipping, labour and transport. Dangerous goods add their own rules on top. Ask the factory how it loads before the first order.
How should drums be palletised?
Drums on pallets are easier to load and less likely to be damaged than loose ones. Typical practice is:
- Stand drums upright on a sound pallet, usually four to a pallet, with the closures on top.
- Check bungs and lids are tight and the closure rings are torqued, so nothing weeps under vibration.
- Wrap the load with stretch film and strap it to the pallet, keeping the labels visible.
- Use pallets that meet plant-health rules for the destination, and do not let drums overhang the edges.
How do you stop drums moving in the container?
Fill the gaps. Empty space allows the load to build momentum as the ship rolls. Use airbags, timber or purpose-made dunnage to fill voids between pallets and against the doors, and lash the load with straps or webbing to the container's lashing rings where the cargo plan calls for it.
Stack drums only if their UN marking shows they have passed the stacking test for the weight above them. Keep the weight low and balanced across the floor, and respect the container's payload and floor-loading limit. See UN-approved packaging for how to read the marks.
What should be checked before the doors close?
- The container is clean, dry, free of old cargo smell and free of protruding nails or damage.
- Drum count, batch numbers and labels agree with the packing list and the certificate of analysis.
- Dangerous goods labels and marks are visible and agree with the declaration, and no incompatible goods are included.
- Photographs of the empty container, each layer, the lashing and the sealed doors are taken, along with the seal number.
These photos are your evidence if there is a dispute later. Our guide on the loading survey for bulk chemicals explains independent checking, and the same ideas apply to drums.
Where does cargo get rejected?
Terminals and lines reject containers with leaking, damaged or unlabelled drums, with loads that look unsecured, or where documents disagree with the labels. A rejection at the port costs time, and a leak at sea can cost the cargo. For what happens afterwards, read chemical leakage and damage claims. Ask the factory to show you a loading plan in advance, with the number of pallets, the position of each product and the lashing method. A factory that has done this before will have a standard plan, and one that has not will improvise on the day.
Next step
We supervise loading, count and inspect the drums, and record the lashing and seals. To have your next container checked, book a free sourcing review.